According to the latest announcement dated August 3, Bitget has extended its withdrawal timeline from Japan, with the complete exit now scheduled for December 31, 2026. The exchange stopped accepting new registrations from Japanese users immediately, while accounts flagged as potentially Japanese must complete Level 2 identity verification by November 1, 2026. Users who miss this deadline will face phased limitations from that date, with any remaining open positions forcibly closed by the end of December 2026. The exchange will email withdrawal instructions to affected users, framing the decision as part of its ongoing commitment to regulatory compliance.
The withdrawal follows repeated warnings from Japanese regulators over the past several years. Japan's Financial Services Agency first warned Bitget in March 2023 for allegedly offering cryptocurrency services to Japanese residents without registration. The regulator repeated this warning in November 2024, stating that the exchange had continued operating without obtaining the required authorization. In June 2025, the Kanto Local Finance Bureau issued a separate warning to BTG Technology Holdings Limited, identifying the company as operating under the Bitget name and soliciting online over-the-counter derivatives transactions without registration. The regulatory backdrop explains the move, as Japan requires crypto service providers serving local residents to register with the Financial Services Agency under the Payment Services Act, with enforcement risk being real for unregistered platforms.
According to the exchange's announcement, users who believe they have been mistakenly identified as residents of Japan must complete Level 2 identity verification, including address verification, before November 1, 2026. Accounts that fail to complete this verification process by the deadline will continue to be classified as belonging to Japanese residents and will become subject to the restrictions. Starting November 1, 2026, affected accounts will enter close-only mode, preventing users from opening or adding to positions or using services including spot and futures trading, copy trading, trading bots and earn products. However, deposits and withdrawals will remain available, subject to limits. Users affected by the changes will receive further instructions by email explaining the required procedures and available options for managing or withdrawing their assets.
The timing coincides with Japan's significant regulatory tightening, as the country reclassified cryptocurrencies as financial instruments following legislation approved by parliament in mid-July. The new rules, expected to take effect next year, include fines of about $62,800 and prison sentences of up to 10 years for operation without registration. Japan has taken a strict approach to foreign crypto platforms operating without local registration, with Bitget along with Bybit, BitForex and MEXC receiving warning letters in 2023 notifying them of violations of the country's fund settlement laws. The Seychelles-registered company did not identify specific regulatory changes behind the decision, stating it will forcibly close all remaining positions on December 31 and suspend card services, while users will still be able to withdraw assets after that date.
The Japan withdrawal follows a pattern that Bitget has adopted across several jurisdictions, where product availability depends on local regulatory status instead of a single global operating model. In July, the exchange formally stated it is not licensed, approved, registered or supervised by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, confirming Singapore remains a prohibited jurisdiction under its terms of use. At the same time, Bitget has continued seeking registrations and approvals in markets where it intends to operate, completing registration on New Zealand's Financial Service Providers Register last month across several financial service categories. The two pressures compound each other, as strict licensing raises fixed costs while currency volatility complicates pricing and treasury management for offshore operators.
